Photovoltaic-type solar power generation is rapidly being deployed as both isolated residential systems and as utility-grade power generators. In both, an area is covered with solar panels wherein the area is large enough to have significant sun illumination or shading differences between panels in a system. Similarly, there may be significant panel to panel differences in soiling, dust coverage, mechanical or electrical degradation, and even aging in that not all panels in a system may have been installed at the same time nor have been manufactured by the same maker or even have the same capacity or other characteristics. Due to exposure to extreme conditions of heat, cold, moisture, wind, salt spray, sand, and other environmental factors, problems with one or more panels from time to time is to be expected.
System problems must be detected, then appropriately responded to. Typical installations today provide little information regarding the operating conditions of individual panels. In response, some power providers periodically send trained technicians to evaluate performance, visually look for damage or dirt, and measure certain operational parameters; an expensive procedure. If the technician is sent too often with no problems found, the cost is wasted. If a problem develops and the technician does not visit soon or the problem is not one appropriate for a trained technician to be required, there is an opportunity cost to under-delivering power that could have been delivered. For example, if performance is low but the panels are simply dirty, a less expensive cleaning person could be sent to clean the panels rather than having a trained technician do so or the technician make a visit just to request a cleaning crew be sent instead.
As the solar power generation industry has matured and competition become more keen, power providers are being asked to base quotes and charges upon actual power delivered, with a minimum guarantee, rather than on simply installed capacity. Thus maintaining optimum performance is critical. In addition, the aging of a system and its panels must be recognized so that an economic decision can be made regarding when and if a panel or panels should be replaced.
What is needed is a remote means for periodically determining the performance of a system as a whole as well as the individual components of the system. Once less than optimum performance is detected, what is needed is the means to then determine the nature of the problem to enable a decision to be made regarding what, if any, steps should be taken in response.